Namyangju, a city in Gyeonggi Province east of Seoul, has seen its pro-natalist policies deliver results, with its total fertility rate exceeding the national average.
The city announced Wednesday that its total fertility rate reached 0.85 in 2025. The figure surpasses the national average of 0.8 and the Gyeonggi Province average of 0.84. Notably, the number of births increased even as the population of women of childbearing age declined.
Namyangju has pursued a range of childbirth support policies, including childbirth congratulatory payments and expanded postpartum care subsidies. The city focused on easing financial burdens and creating a stable environment for childbirth. A rise in the number of marriages following the COVID-19 pandemic is also seen as a contributing factor in the recovery of birth numbers.
The city's infertility treatment support program has also shown results, maintaining a pregnancy success rate of over 20% for the past four years. However, residents continue to face inconvenience due to the lack of a specialized infertility clinic within the city.
Namyangju plans to open a specialized infertility medical facility in the second half of 2027 to improve healthcare accessibility.
"We will continue to expand support that residents can tangibly feel so that childbirth and child-rearing do not become a burden," a Namyangju city official said. "We will do our best to make Namyangju a great city to have and raise children."